Ingredients

For the Soup

• 1.97 lbs / 893 g boneless skinless chicken thighs

• 1.75 lbs / 793 g mixed mushrooms, sliced (566 g baby bella, 227 g white button)

• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced

• 15 cups / 3.55 L low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

• 5 tbsp / 85 g white miso paste

• 4 cups / 280 g baby bok choy, chopped

• 2 tbsp / 30 g fresh ginger, grated

• 2 tsp / 10 ml sesame oil

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Additional Notes

Fond: I burned the fond when adding the mushrooms and leeks to the same pot I seared the chicken in, so I washed the pot and started fresh. Not a big deal, but I'm still trying to figure out how to sear without losing all that flavor. Something to work on.

Mushrooms: I cooked the water out of the mushrooms completely before building the soup. Honestly not sure if that was necessary, but I didn't want mushroom juice in the broth. That said, I can't say it would have been a bad thing either. Cook the water out or don't — the world is yours.

Broth: I ended up using 15 cups of broth because I have a habit of overestimating. The recipe says 8 — go with that, or somewhere around 10, and build it to your preference.

Udon: I put udon in everything, and I genuinely don't know why I didn't add it here. After filming I threw some in and it was great. Highly recommend doing that.

Shredding vs. Slicing: Cut or shred the chicken — either works fine.

Miso: Do not boil the soup after adding the miso. Always remove from heat first, whisk the miso into a ladleful of broth separately, then stir it back in. Boiling kills the flavor and the beneficial properties of the miso.

Method

1. Sear the Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with salt and black pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside — it will finish cooking in the broth.

2. Sauté the Mushrooms & Leeks: In the same pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and leeks and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned and the leeks are softened.

3. Build the Broth & Cook the Chicken: Add the broth and grated ginger to the pot. Return the seared chicken to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove the chicken, slice or shred, and return it to the pot.

4. Add the Greens: Add the chopped baby bok choy and simmer for 2–3 minutes until tender.

5. Finish with Miso: Remove the pot from heat. Whisk the miso paste into a ladleful of hot broth in a small bowl until completely smooth. Stir the mixture back into the soup. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Do not boil after adding the miso.